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Confessions of a Gay Christian

We live in a society where we feel that as individuals, nothing can shape us or harm us. We are free thinkers only influenced by what we want to be influenced by. The reality is, that is totally false.

Erik Erickson was a developmental psychologist who proposed that a person grows through different life stages. At each turning point, there needs to be room to have an “identity crisis.” This allows for the individual to adapt—or not—to their circumstances. Different stages can be revisited if the internal struggles are not acknowledged. The success of a person’s development is affected by outside influences.

As a person who has grown up in Christian culture and is of a homosexual orientation, I have come to realize that I have never fully been able to trust until this year. And I am 27 years old.

My dad was in the military until middle school and then became a pastor. The fear of the Lord and rigidity of religious rules weighed heavy in the household. Matters of faith and theology were never to be questioned.

Before I even started thinking about my sexual orientation, I happened to become friends with a guy who was “out” in my freshman year of high school. We communicated through letters, and eventually I gave him my number. My dad found out who he “was,” and I was instructed not to associate with “people like that.” The friendship ended.

My dad became vocal about Disney supporting the gays. As a family, we joined the boycott against Disney and “those homosexuals.” I remember hearing about the Matthew Shepard murder and started wondering why the Church hated gay people.

After high school, I started working at a Christian bookstore. Employees were allowed to take books home to read and return them at their leisure. I snuck a copy of Desires in Conflict, a book published by an ex-gay ministry. I remember seeing the “gay” spectrum. I thought to myself that I wasn’t that gay and maybe could move closer to heterosexuality. The next week, a co-worker made a comment about the flamboyant men who purchase the gay books. I laughed it off and wondered if he knew.

A year later, I attended a short-term Bible school in Spain. After numerous suicidal nightmares, I walked to the beach and yelled at God. I needed Him to show His face, to give me mercy and love because the Christians I knew hated people like me. The next morning, my ability to soak in Scripture was like night and day. God had showed up, but my secret was kept to myself in fear of others.

I started to become honest with others at 22 years old. I came out to my professor through an assignment I had written, and also to many friends. An immense fear of others resurfaced, and I started to hate myself again for my orientation. My college friends showed me love, but I knew it was time to tell my family. Before heading to Georgia, I kept watching Valerie’s story in V for Vendetta. She shared this: “I remember how the meaning of words began to change. How unfamiliar words like ‘collateral’ and ‘rendition’ became frightening, while things like Norsefire and the Articles of Allegiance became powerful. I remember how ‘different’ became dangerous. I still don’t understand it, why they hate us so much.”

My worst fear of being thrown out of the family did not happen. However, I was left deeply damaged. Questions arose like, “How did we raise you?” or “Have you prayed enough?” or “Your friend, Toby, is he your lover?” Yes, I knew how I was raised; yes, I prayed relentlessly for this to stop; and no, Toby was not my lover, nor had I ever had one.

Despite my suicidal ideations, I headed to Costa Rica for a year-long internship. I was upfront about my “struggles,” which led to being questioned about male friendships that developed. I had to have surgery while in Costa Rica, which resulted in easy access to pain medication. The medication caused hallucinations, and my four-year struggle of suicidal thoughts became a reality as I consumed a cocktail of pills. The 30-minute race to the hospital was accompanied by the director, his wife and my roommate. With an unpredictable heartbeat, I kept saying, “The man said, ‘Homosexuals must die. Homosexuals must die. They are all going to hell.’” I was put on schizophrenic medication and two months later went on to finish my final year of college. Deeply broken, I partook in some prayer counseling, which was immensely helpful until it turned into reparative therapy to change my attraction to men. The American Medical, Psychiatric and Psychological Associations are all in agreement that reparative therapy is harmful to clients. Why are evangelicals still doing this? After a few sessions, I stopped going. I questioned if there was a place for me in the Body of Christ.

In 2010, Jennifer Knapp released Letting Go, which spoke directly to the emotions I had. Lyrics like I’m the one who keeps it on the inside / so they’ll leave me alone radiated what I lived by, just so I could have normal relationships with people.

In October 2011, I read Love Is an Orientation by Andrew Marin. He placed emphasis on the Gospel and not orientation. Christ’s love and acceptance goes way beyond this. I stopped viewing my sexual identity as something to fight against. As a result, I am off all medications, suicidal ideations have stopped, and I lost the 45 pounds that I'd gained in less than two years. I finally began to trust in myself and who God is.

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The highest at-risk group for suicidal behaviors is found in celibate, self-identified homosexual males at 46.1 percent with an attempt rate at 15.5 percent. I am both of those statistics. Do I remain celibate? If I do, how do I gain a sense of community? Even the idea of having a guy roommate results in Christians telling me to “warn” my roommate about “who I am.” I am then questioned about whether I will be “tempted.” Should I be forced to live alone, like a leper?

The environment we are in has great impact on who we become. Christian culture can help a person flourish into who God wants them to become or burn them alive. I love my family and consider myself God’s son. Christian culture has influenced me to remain celibate, but I don’t “struggle” anymore. I just question if I am remaining celibate to appease my evangelical family or friends and wondering if that statistic will reappear in my life.

Top Comments

My question is what is really the debate here? This guy gave his opinion on homosexuality and who he is.. and now everyone is casting stones from both sides. Listen, I dont understand the issue, and probably never will. But I do know I am called to love, not to judge. Its the Holy Spirits job to convict, not my words. There is something that has not been mentioned at all, the Holy Spirit. All I know is I recently had a friend who was a homosexual who came forward and accepted Jesus Christ as his savior.. knowing what the church believes. Some knew, some didnt.. but no one said anything to him about it because if The Word is what it says it is Then the Word will reveal itself to all those willing to see. Am I saying he will not struggle with this, not at all. But I do know he is attempting to pursue a relationship with a woman, but he is getting closer to Jesus first because he doesnt want to do anything without being right with God. He just came back from a missions trip. And we are all supporting him in all endeavors in love, and guess what, homosexuality has never been mentioned, because if we really are believers in the scripture than him messing up is no different then me going out and eating 2 big macs. This bridge may never be repaired between the church and the homosexual community but I do know that in 1 corinthians Paul says perfect love drives out all fear.. so lets practice just loving and not opinionating.. the only reason why I wrote on here was to tell what I have seen with my own eyes and that perfect love and letting God do the work that God wants to do if allowed will be done.. especially when we pray Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven

Just because someone has a video one YouTube, does not give them ultimate authority, that only comes from the Word of God. The speaker does proclaim truth on the biblical definition of homosexuality and God's commandment in abstaining from sexual immorality (both homosexual and fornication), he completely contradicts the primary points he makes and everything God commands of us as believers. After minute 4, his in contorts Scripture and makes it cater to his driving point. Being gay is not a sin but acting on it is; living in sin is blatant disobedience to God. This is true for any sin. Our identities should not be in our sexual orientation nor our achievements nor our occupations nor our idols: ONLY IN JESUS DO WE FIND OUR IDENTITY.

283 Comments

In everything you went through, you were seeking our Father. Continue to glorify Him! I'm sorry for the hurt the church body has caused. We are all different parts of one body and we all must rely on the Head to tell us our roles, and we must not determine that for ourselves or others.

Hi Nate, so much enjoyed your candid article. I also came from a similar structureas yourself. Crazy. I'm 50 now and no not celibate. At some point you come to peace with your maker, and trust that our saviour, will be our lawyer on that dreaded day. I've come to a peace in that it isn't my decision to decide how he will represent me upon judgment. That would be pre judging his judgment. Weird. But, it's interesting how many want to grab that control and do that themselves. Making themselves, their own little gods in there own minds. Just as I no longer buy the Protestant line or doctrine. You, the lowly human accepting Jesus. Hmmm, just a lil mixed up there in who's the boss? I was raised in both a Southern Baptist and God forbid an Assembly of God background. Taught infaticcaly on how evil Catholics were. Wow! Check it out, we are considered afflicted. They also require celibacy, but they also require non use of birth control. The Holy Eucharistic Mass gives me hope and also the true meaning of Jesus sacrifice. I've been in a committed ss relationship for 14 years, we have 2 children and I'm taking them to the original church, the church built on the Rock! By St Peter. The falling away is the entire 33,000 versions of Protestantism.

I am saddened when I read this. The pain Nate went through, the confusion and misunderstanding. The posts that say God doesn't say anything regarding sexual relationships, when He says it all. He made it clear, numerous times, that only between a male and female can the two become one, when a man leaves his parents to marry a woman, there is no instance where a union of homosexual relationship is ever endorsed by God. Most people, want to feel good about the decisions they choose to make, and if Christ is a large part of their life, then it is hard to accept that a lifestyle someone chooses can be sinful. When I hear a christian say, I am an alcoholic, it saddens me, because it makes someone what their actions are, even if they are no longer committing those acts. Almost every human being struggles with sex- it doesn't matter what kind. But outside of male/female marriage, there shouldn't be any. Today's generations seems to think there is something wrong with being a 40 year old virgin. Instead, the Bible says being celibate, can, in certain circumstances, be better for the person. The devil will always try to bring thoughts of sin into our hearts and minds. That is why it is so important to meditate on the scriptures, to keep them close in our hearts day and night. Too many times, we try to reason out, when we only have to be obedient. I'm sure there are many people who question why if you think about having sex with someone, but don't act on it, how can that be sin? No one knows but God and I. To the natural mind, it makes no sense. Yet, we are called to Him, He is not called to us. We are to obey Him, even if we don't understand, and yes, dare I say it, sometimes disagree. We can't say, because it feels right, it sounds right. It must be, does God say it is right. God has so clearly stated over and over what marriage IS, He doesn't need to list all the things it is not.

I'm sort of going through the same thing, I live scared of what I feel. I'm not suicidal but i'm struggling with trying to understand how i'm supposed to live my life, if I can even have a relationship with someone beyond friendship. I struggle with feeling like I was given a death sentence and walking in god's promise of love.